This Day in Pop: Britney Spears releases 'Born to Make You Happy' in 1999 (December 06)

[PokemonSpears]

On December 06, 1999, Britney Spears released Born to Make You Happy as the fourth single off her debut album ...Baby One More Time, for European countries. Written and produced by Kristian Lundin with co-writing support of Andreas Carlsson, the teen pop song speaks from the perspective of a girl who suffers about a past relationship, alone in her room, not understanding what went wrong with it and promising the guy she'd do anything to be with him again.

In an interview for Rolling Stone, Britney Spears revealed the song originally had a more adult connotation:

Quote

“I asked them to change the words to ‘Born to Make You Happy.’ It was a *****l song,” reveals Spears, who cleaves to the Baptist faith, I said, ‘This may be a little old for me.’ Because of the image thing, I don’t want to go over the top. If I come out being Miss Prima Donna, that wouldn’t be smart. I want to have a place to grow.”

The song was not released in the US, but in Europe it was a hit, reaching the Top 5 in almost every country, topping the charts of UK, Denmark, Ireland, Scotland and even went #1 on the European Radio Top 50.

 

The song was first performed live on her The Hair Zone Mall Tour, and was later included on the ...Baby One More Time Tour, Crazy 2k Tour, Oops!... I Did It Again Tour and was performed for the last time on her Dream Within a Dream Tour as part of a medley with Lucky and Sometimes. It was also performed live on several TV show appearances.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A music video was released the same day as the single. Directed by Billie Woodruff (who would later direct Overprotected and Do Somethin' videos) and choreographed by Wade Robson, it shows Britney sleeping, then we see her in a futuristic room with platforms of different levels wearing a silver outfit. By the second part of the song, we see her performing the choreography with her dancers, wearing a black leather skirt, boots and a red top. These scenes keep intercalating throughout the video. We also see her again in her room, this time wearing all white, and by the bridge of the song, her love interest is revealed, who comes in and hugs her from behind, while she's wearing yet another outfit, this time an orange top and khaki pants. They engage in a pillow fight. By the end of the video, we see her sleeping again as she smiles.

 

[Theonetheonly]

I love the remix of this song ❤️

[Theonetheonly]

Wasn’t she originally pregnant in the music video - but they changed it? 

[PokemonSpears]

Just now, Theonetheonly said:

Wasn’t she originally pregnant in the music video - but they changed it? 

that's what the rumor says

[itsrichiibitch]

14 minutes ago, PokemonSpears said:

that's what the rumor says

ahh that's why her bf in the video was standing behind her grabbing her tummy :P makes more sense ;)

[Blackout2006]

It could have been huge in US considering it was as big as BOMT In Europe and Asia idk why they never thought of releasing it in the US

[PokemonSpears]

5 minutes ago, Blackout2006 said:

It could have been huge in US considering it was as big as BOMT In Europe and Asia idk why they never thought of releasing it in the US

because they released From the Bottom of My Broken Heart instead, just a few days later lol

I don't know why they decided to do it that way though, or why those songs. I also think it's funny both songs kinda have a similar theme.

 

Tbh, I feel like other songs could've been more popular, like Autumn Goodbye, Deep in My Heart, even Thinkin' About You or I Will Be There. There's also Soda Pop, which was included in the Pokémon Movie soundtrack, which had just debuted on the Billboard charts at #8 in late November. Pokémon and Britney were huge at the time, a Britney song to promote the Pokémon movie would've been epic instead they released that lame M2M track.

 

[MrPieceOfMe]

1 minute ago, PokemonSpears said:

There's also Soda Pop, which was included in the Pokémon Movie soundtrack, which had just debuted on the Billboard charts at #8 in late November. Pokémon and Britney were huge at the time, a Britney song to promote the Pokémon movie would've been epic instead they released that lame M2M track.

 

I know you want Soda Pop as single, just because of Pokemon 

[Peter Pan]

Such a good song! One of my all time favorites. 

[Blackout2006]

3 minutes ago, PokemonSpears said:

because they released From the Bottom of My Broken Heart instead, just a few days later lol

I don't know why they decided to do it that way though, or why those songs. I also think it's funny both songs kinda have a similar theme.

 

Tbh, I feel like other songs could've been more popular, like Autumn Goodbye, Deep in My Heart, even Thinkin' About You or I Will Be There. There's also Soda Pop, which was included in the Pokémon Movie soundtrack, which had just debuted on the Billboard charts at #8 in late November. Pokémon and Britney were huge at the time, a Britney song to promote the Pokémon movie would've been epic instead they released that lame M2M track.

 

So true ugh. I love from the bottom of my broken heart but there were so much other deserving singles like I will be there and autumn goodbye, the era honestly deserved 7-8 singles

[MrPieceOfMe]

1 minute ago, Blackout2006 said:

So true ugh. I love from the bottom of my broken heart but there were so much other deserving singles like I will be there and autumn goodbye, the era honestly deserved 7-8 singles

Every era of Britney deserved 7-8 singles 

[Blackout2006]

3 minutes ago, MrPieceOfMe said:

Every era of Britney deserved 7-8 singles 

BOMT: 7 singles

OIDIA- 7 singles 

Britney- 7 singles

ITZ- Visual era 

BO- 4 singles

Circus- 6 singles

Femme Fatale- 5 singles

Glory- 5 singles

[MrPieceOfMe]

1 minute ago, Blackout2006 said:

BOMT: 7 singles

OIDIA- 7 singles 

Britney- 7 singles

ITZ- Visual era 

BO- 4 singles

Circus- 6 singles

Femme Fatale- 5 singles

Glory- 5 singles

Inside Out, Beautiful Drop Dead, Gasoline and Up N Down deserved to be singles in the Femme Fatale era  

[Blackout2006]

Just now, MrPieceOfMe said:

Inside Out, Beautiful Drop Dead, Gasoline and Up N Down deserved to be singles in the Femme Fatale era  

Omg yes

Ugh, such a solid dance album

Too bad the album and era wasn’t that big outside of the US and a few parts of Europe

[JackSProductions]

Such a special song to me. Happy birthday Born To Make You Happy 

[IvanFatale]

1 hour ago, Blackout2006 said:

BOMT: 7 singles

OIDIA- 7 singles 

Britney- 7 singles

ITZ- Visual era 

BO- 4 singles

Circus- 6 singles

Femme Fatale- 5 singles

Glory- 5 singles

What about Britney Jean? 

[Stannedforever]

Flawless, unapologetic, inspiring, amazing BOP. Definitely the second best song in the BOMT album because original Crazy isn't as iconic as the remix 

 

 

[CindyTheTVisLeaking]

I fell in love with Britney when I heard this materpiece for the first time

Sorry BOMT 

[nakedsoldier]

Her most underrated single imo! Wouldn't be amazing if she is freed and she performs this song for her fans in the arena omg i wanna cry by only thinking about it haha

[Alio]

Amazing song, very special. It has always put a smile on my face. 

Not me remembering now my 15 years old *ss covering the walls of my bedroom with aluminium tin foil to replicate the silver room for a photoshoot with my friend at 3 in the morning